Archives for May 2014

Last week I wrote a blog post providing tips for attracting angel investments, so when I noticed a report on 2013 angel investment in the Austin Business Journal it seemed appropriate to write a quick post about its findings.
Angel investments in both Austin and the US as a whole surged in 2013, increasing by 8.3 percent nationally. Of the $24.8 billion invested by angels last year, software (23%) again accounted for the most, followed by media (16%), healthcare (14%), biotech (11%), retail (7%), and financial services (7%). These investments were largely made in the seed and start-up stage (45%), up from 35 percent in the prior year.
Similar to the national trend, angel investments were also on the rise in Austin. Central Texas Angel Network, the fourth-most active angel investor in the US, invested 21 percent more than its 2012 levels, placing $9.7 million in 33 startups. Seeing these types of reports should obviously be encouraging to startups, but I'm sure many … [Read more...]

When becoming involved with a startup in the US, foreign entrepreneurs often face an additional layer of legal issues involving immigration. Quite frequently, I get asked questions relating to how investing in or working for a US company affects immigration status. The short answer is that mere ownership of a US company should not be problematic, while employment or serving as an officer can often be problematic if not specifically permitted by one's immigration status. With that said, this is often a fact-intensive issue, and a lot depends on the particular immigration status of the foreign national. The following is a brief summary of the rules for common business visas held by foreign entrepreneurs, however, please be advised that you should always contact an experienced attorney before doing anything that could jeopardize or affect your immigration status.
Common US Visa Types
H-1B Visa: These visas are granted to foreign nationals in "specialty occupations" to work … [Read more...]

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About the Author

Sam Eastman is an attorney in Austin, TX, who serves as general counsel to several local companies, and also advises clients in his private practice, The Eastman Law Firm. Sam's practice generally focuses on business matters, including corporate, tax, and securities issues. Read More…